Kartik Shetye has got a new obsession this summer. The 17-year-old has been attending a robotics workshop where he sees his vision of building a robot take shape.

Kartik Shetye has got a new obsession this summer. The 17-year-old has been attending a robotics workshop where he sees his vision of building a robot take shape.

“I enjoy programming and even more so, being able to bring my creativity in building something new,” said the D.G. Ruparel junior college student.

Robotics workshops and courses – previously the preserve of engineering colleges and tech geeks – are now burgeoning among school students and catering to some as young as seven year old.

In the past year, two companies — Technophilia and Robo-in — have unveiled a series of summer workshops for children. Takers for these workshops have doubled in their second year, said both firms. A third company is poised to launch a robotics competition for school students next week.

“It’s the best way to teach maths and science concepts to school children,” said Hiral Sanghavi, director of Technophilia, which has worked with around 13 schools.

Schools too, have been quick to see the merit of making science more interesting with the help of some artificial intelligence. “There is no explicit link with the curriculum but it definitely has educational merit,” said Achama Mathew, CEO of the Bombay Cambridge group of schools that has conducted such camps.

“There is a need to build complex machines, whether for defence or agriculture or consumer use,” said Kavi Arya, associate professor, computer science and engineering department, IIT-Bombay. “It’s good to demystify technology for kids.”